


Side Effects

by JAKishu



Series: Little Sherlock [14]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Big Brother Mycroft, Caring John, Cave, Chinese Food, Crying Sherlock, Experiment gone wrong, Fighting, Gen, Kidnapping, Little Star, Mycroft saves the day, Overprotective John, Sherlock saves John, Tired John, Uncle Mycroft, accidental deaging, anderson can good with children, coffee is nothing for children, delivery, john sings for william, john was right, mr. bee is back, sally´s curly hair, sharing bed, sherlock destroys plates, sherlock is a kid, sleeping in someones bed, treehouse, waking up alone, william has a to do list in case of emergency, william is a hero
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-19
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2019-02-17 06:44:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13071318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JAKishu/pseuds/JAKishu
Summary: Sherlock´s experiment has a few unforeseen side effects like turning into a child spondaic. A collection of One Shots where Sherlock turns into William and back again.





	1. First time

**Author's Note:**

> A collection of moments when William appears without intention.

In the end Sherlock was grateful that he had chosen the lighter version of his disguise. The day wasn’t even close to noon and the heat was nearly unbearable, for London at least. His coat was safe at home. He would never have forgiven himself were he to lose it. He could only blame himself in that case. He had done the experiment in the first place. But back to the beginning.

* * *

Sherlock loved the chase, the circumstances were not important. He felt sorry for John that he was missing this particular one. Across five ships, through a waste water tunnel, three subway stations, an underground graveyard, a fish restaurant and twelve buildings later Sherlock was only a few meters behind a possible art dealer. The best was that he had had no proof until the twenty-two year old art student had spotted him and ran. The runners were always the best.

The suspect ran left into an ally and Sherlock followed until he felt something was wrong with his body. For someone who had trained his body to work, not even requiring food and sleep when he was busy doing more important things, Sherlock knew when something was wrong. Like now. It was as if the day had lost its light, it got dark and his heart started beating faster. Sherlock felt the shaking of his limps and the dizziness hitting him. He collapsed in the middle of a back alley between rubbish bins and backdoors, thinking that was not how he had hoped the chase would end.

* * *

Officers Black and Winston were on their way back to their police car after a quick break in the coffee shop with the sweet girl that made the best cappuccino in London. Good that they were both in a relationship; no cop wants to fight with his partner over a girl. As they passed an alley they could hear a child cry. At first they wanted to continue walking; children always cried but their parents were usually there to comfort them. But the crying continued and there was no adult voice to be heard. Both looked at each other to make sure they weren’t overreacting over a child´s crying; they turned and entered the alley.

A small boy not older than three came walking towards them, crying, dressed only in an adult´s shirt, without shoes and alone. As they stood in front of him he looked up. “Hey, little man, what are you doing here? Where are your parents and your clothes?” The child looked at them with huge eyes, especially at their police badges and uniforms.

“Are you Greg's friends?” Greg? Maybe a possible children kidnapper or worse? Both police officers felt the seriousness of the situation change as the child could be the victim of a crime.

“Who is Greg and can you tell us your name?” Officer Winston, uncle to half a dozen nieces and nephews kneeled down next to the boy, while Officer Black secured the area, making sure there were no suspicious people around.

“Greg is John´s friend and he is with the police like you and he didn’t let me taste coffee because I´m a child.” While they were a bit confused about the second male name mentioned, it was now clear that ‘Greg’ worked with the police; maybe they could find out who he was and through him get to the parents of the child. He didn’t look hurt in anyway and the mission-like clothes could be explained in another way. “My name is William and what’s your name? You should introduce yourself first when you ask for someone´s name but it´s okay, I will make an exception.”

“My name is Brad, this is my colleague David and you are right but can you tell me Greg's last name so that we can call him and ask him to come and pick you up? It would be nice to be with someone you know, right?” The boy, William, looked as if he was really thinking hard. Then he shook his head. “It's ok; do you know where he works?”

“Yes, I visited him with John and colored a few pictures with Mr. Bee for him, they are in his office and there was a nice police lady, she had really curly hair and she allowed me to touch it. I like curly hair but it was different from mine. Greg and John were the whole time doing boring ‘paper work’ – that is what they called it - and we had to wait until they were finished. But it didn’t look less when we left. Greg should tidy his office a bit. The desk from the nice police lady was much tidier; maybe he can ask Miss Donavan to help him.” The words coming out of William´s mouth weren’t really helping, at least in Winston´s opinion but his partner then said the first word to William since they had started talking.

“Was Miss Donavan the police woman and did she have the same skin color as Brad?” As an afro American he knew that it was the easiest way to let the child confirm this aspect, as William proved by nodding. “DS Donavan, that means the one in the office must be a DI… Lestrade, yes DI Lestrade. My cousin works in the same division, homicide.” Officer David Black pulled out his phone and called the right department to get this particular DI on the phone.

“Look William you did really well by describing the place and people. We found your Greg and he should be here soon.” William smiled, the tears from before long forgotten.

* * *

Greg hated this hot London summer; he lived in England, the island where you got rain, wind and cold weather. He wiped his forehead for the millionth time today and wished for nothing more than the evening to come as his phone rang. ‘Please let it be a body in a giant freezer or in the underground’. Not that he wished for anyone’s death but he did dream of a huge freezer and even if he had to share it with a dozen pigs or so, it would be better than his office with far too much paperwork. “Yes, Detective Inspector Lestrade speaking, how may I help you?”

“This is Officer Black. We found a child, three years old, says his name is William, he was alone and told us about his friend the police man. Do you know the child, sir?” …William. Why the hell was Sherlock a child again and why was he walking around alone?

“Is he alright? Where are you and can you let me talk to him?” Something could have happened to John. The Officer gave him the address; it was very close and then he could hear the high voice of little Sherlock.

“Hello Greg. I met your friends, they are nice. They even found you without a last name. Now I know your last name, Lestrade and I will not forget it again so I can always find you.” William sounded okay.

“That´s good that you know my last name now. I will come and get you. Can you stay with Officer Black for another minute, I´m on my way.” There was a kind of buzzing sound and in the background was Black´s partner telling William that ‘Greg’ could not see his nodding.

“Yes, Greg, I will wait here for you.” Greg ended the call, grabbed his jacket and left the office with a lot of confused looks following him down the hall, but he has no time to explain that he had to pick up a three-year-old Sherlock.

On the short drive from the station to the address his colleague had given him he tried to call John but only got his mailbox. When he arrived he found a smiling William in one of Sherlock's shirts waving happily at him. “Greg!” The child ran to him and threw himself into his arms. Greg secured his grip on the child and lifted him up so he could walk to the two police officers that had found him.

“Sir.” That was Officer Black from the phone. His partner nodded as a greeting. “Should we call his parents?” Greg shook his head still thinking of how to explain the situation without giving away something he wasn’t supposed to share.

“Not necessary. I will bring him home and have a look at the situation. At this time there should be an elderly lady watching him. I will take care of this.

“Are we going to visit Mrs. Hudson?” William asked, understanding who he meant.

“That’s right and we will try to find out why you were outside on your own. You don´t know where your clothes are, right?” William looked down at his shirt.

“They are mine; I am wearing them, so they are mine and I´m not naked.” A child´s logic.

“Alright let´s get you home, it´s not far but we will take my car anyway.” William's home was actually at the other end of London but Greg couldn’t find a reason for a child to be so far away from home so he just avoided mentioning that fact. “Say thank you to the nice officers who helped you.”

“Thank you, Brad. Thank you, David.” Cute little William waved at them. Greg said his thanks too and hoped they wouldn’t talk about it, as he put William in the front seat and secured the seat belt.

* * *

John´s phone rang as he stepped out of the shower; he only had time to cover his private parts with a towel as he ran out to the living room, hoping that it was Sherlock calling him and telling him at least where he was. His friend had run off for a case before he had gotten up for work and now, after his shift, he still hadn’t heard a thing from his friend. “Yes?” Bit out of breath.

“John, John, John.” Strange, that sounded like a child. John checked the callers ID, Greg. “Greg are you alright?”

“Guess so but I got a call from two police officers who had found a child, named William, three years old. Ring any bells?”

“You are with William? Why is Sherlock…? Never mind, where are you? I'll come and get him.” John walked back to the bathroom to get dressed.

“No need; we are on our way to you. Hope you still have some clothes for him; the only thing he is wearing is a ‘Sherlock’ sized shirt.” John could hear William telling Greg that it was his shirt. “See you soon.”

Greg ended the call and John, still only half dressed, called Mycroft.

“Doctor Watson I´m in a meeting with the prime minister, what can I do for you?” He did not really sound busy.

“I need you to bring us William´s clothes and Mr. Bee. Sherlock is a child again; we don’t know why but he must have taken the potion again or I don’t know. Greg found him and is on his way back to Baker Street.” John didn’t sound panicked but there was no reason for Sherlock to take that stuff again and especially not while somewhere outside in the middle of London.

“I´m on my way.” Without a word of good bye the call was ended. John, now dressed, could do nothing else but wait for them.

* * *

John could hear William´s happy jumps as he and Greg made their way upstairs. As the door opened John found himself looking at the boy who was wearing nothing but Sherlock´s shirt. “John, I´m home again.” The happiness of the child was contagious and John lifted the child and gave him a good cuddle.

“Uncle Mycroft is on his way with your clothes but tell me, William. How did you end up in an alley, alone?” William looked at him, thinking.

“I don´t know. I was just there.”  He wasn’t able to ask more because Mycroft chose this moment to enter the flat through the open door. “Uncle Mycroft.” William smiled at his uncle and wanted a cuddle from him too.

“Hello, William, I´ve got your clothes and Mr. Bee for you.” William was more interested in his toy and a cuddle, so he needed quite a few words form both John and Mycroft to let himself be dressed.

Mycroft and John sat on the sofa, with William between them, Greg had taken Sherlock´s chair and all of them were looking at the child. With two very big questions. WHY and HOW?

John got up and after telling William that he had to look for something in the kitchen he got his hand that up to then had been held in an iron grip, back. He returned to the group in the living room holding up a collection of little bottles. “They are all here, none is missing. This accounts for every drop of the re-aging potion that Sherlock has produced. He didn’t take any.”

“Mycroft are you able to access the CCTV footage from the alley? Maybe there is something on the tape that could help us.” Greg asked and after John offered his laptop they all watched Sherlock chasing a criminal through London until he stopped in his alley and just shrank. “Wow that is what it looks like? That is a bit creepy.”

“So he didn’t take any potion and it surprised him. Could it be a side effect from the two times he took it voluntarily?” John asked into the round.

William was playing with Mr. Bee far too busy with his game to listen to an adult´s conversation but when he saw the video footage he was surprised to see himself on the screen. “John, I´m in the computer, look.” The footage showed William as he started his conversation with the two police officers. “And there are Brad and David too. They helped me to find Greg but I won´t forget your last name again so that when I get lost again I can ask a police officer for Greg Lestrade.” The child looked proudly at Greg and continued to play with Mr. Bee.

“Mycroft can you and the army of scientists you have under you find out why he has changed again?” John was looking worriedly at Sherlock. It could have happened while on a case, maybe in a fight or with a gun pointed at them. They were lucky that he had been found and that the two police officers could find out where and who he belonged to.

“They already on it.” Mycroft was looking at his little brother too and they all thought the same, it could have ended very badly.


	2. Paper work

“What does it have  to do with us if the court appointment was changed?” Sherlock in one of his moods, bored and unmoving turned form his place on the sofa facing the wall to John standing behind him with his coat in his hands.

“The appointment moved from in five weeks to tomorrow morning at nine. Some stunt the dick's lawyer did. We have to help Greg with the preparation of the evidence, paperwork and everything else necessary to be ready tomorrow or the guy walks free.” John sees that Sherlock was still in no mood to move. “It was our case too. He will get away with it.”

Sherlock sighs. He sees John´s point. It took them six days to finally find the evidence that lead to an arrest and he doesn’t want this human piece of garbage on the streets again. “Alright.”

* * *

Lestrade, Donavan and Anderson were already in a conference room, preparing. The table was loaded with boxes containing evidence case files and reports, as well as coffee and a plate with sandwiches. Lestrade was working on one of the evidence boxes, sorting through it, while Donavan was re-reading the witness reports and bringing them in order of relevance and Anderson was on a laptop looking through lab-reports. When Sherlock and John entered the room Lestrade was more than relieved: they would help and Sherlock could again tell them how he had figured it all out. They got a nod from Anderson and were ignored by Donavan.

Over the next three hours they finished writing down the complete report of Sherlock´s actions and thoughts and analysis while on the case in an acceptable way for the court and another hour later all the lab-reports from the evidence were sorted as well.  Lestrade and Donavan were still going through the witness reports and Sherlock and John did their best to remove all evidence of their part taking in the case.

Suddenly, as Sherlock was walking from the conference table to the evidence wall, he stopped moving. After having witnessed the process before John only needed a second to understand what was about to happen, maybe even before Sherlock realized it himself: he saw his friend start to shrink. His knees gave way and he crumbled to the ground in a pile of clothes.

John was next to William before he could open his eyes. Lestrade was standing too, close by in case he needed to do something but leaving enough room to not crowd the child. Donavan and Anderson just stared with huge eyes and open mouths at the child that had taken the place of Sherlock Holmes.

“Hey William, can you look at me.” John had switched to his parenting/doctor for children voice to make William feel safe.

“John.” John managed to check him over quickly before the room got William's interest and his eyes landed on the table with the sandwiches. “I´m hungry John, can I have one of these sandwiches. Are there any with honey?” John smiled, picked up the child with most of the clothes from the ground (Lestrade collected them, folded and placed them on a chair in the corner).

“Yes of course you can.” John ignored the looks from the other members in the room as he pushed the sleeves of Sherlock´s shirt up and placed the child next to him on a chair with a sandwich in his hand. Only once William had his food and a paper and pencil for drawing did John face them again. William was happy with eating and would occupy himself later by drawing.

“John, is he alright?” Greg who was done with Sherlock´s clothes looked at the eating boy.

“He is, Mycroft still couldn’t find a solution for it. Speaking of him, I need Mr. Bee and clothes for William .” John sent a quick message to his friend´s brother.

“What happened with the freak?” That was Donavan, again with the freak word.

“I told you before not to use that word on him and even less so when a child is around.” John was furious again, she was a…. ‘don’t even think about hitting her, William is close’ “This is a child, a three-year old lovely child as you already know and I would like you to treat him like before.”

“That doesn’t answer my question, why is he a child?” She looked confused and angry. Probably because she had let him touch her hair.

“Side effects of an experiment he did a few months back. He could stay like that a few hours or weeks, we don’t know since it happens without his doing. And before you ask: he is the real younger version of Sherlock, he possesses only the memories pertinent to his apparent physical  age. So he won´t know anything about the childish fights you two have as adults.”

“Who is childish?” That was William, finished with the first sandwich.

“No one, sweetheart. Would you like another one?” William shook his head. “Good, can you draw a new picture for us? Greg and I have to finish something before we can go home. You can play here, but tell me when you need something or if you get bored.”

“Okay, John.” William took his paper and pencil and started to draw something that looked like the shoe that was placed on top of one of the evidence boxes. John had decided to ignore Donavan, let her mood fall into a bottomless black hole. He was surprised though that Anderson hadn't asked any questions but was now concentrating on the work to finish up as fast as possible, Greg doing the same.

* * *

A small tug on his shirt brought John back from his concentrated state of working. He looked down at William who pulled him closer to whisper something into his ear. “John can I go over to the other side of the room?” John looked up, William meant the part of the room where Anderson was working. Smiling, John nodded.

Anderson had slowly been starting to change, separating himself from Donavan´s hate against Sherlock. Not that they had become friends, but Sherlock had also noticed and didn’t provoke him as much anymore trying to work together. At least he was trying.

William jumped down from his chair and walked over to Anderson. “Hi my name is William. What´s your name?” Only as big as Anderson´s knee the child had to look up at the man. John was proud of William: he always made the effort of talking to other people he had identified as people John let him talk to.

“Anderson, Philipp Anderson.” He looked surprised at the child.

“What are you doing on the computer?” William was interested. “Can I have a look, please?” John could see Anderson´s hesitation before he picked up William, who had already reached his arms out for him and placed him on his lap.

“Those are reports for a court meeting tomorrow.” William looked at the papers on the screen.

“That is paper work too, right? But why is it not on paper like the other ‘paper work’ John and Greg are doing?” John confident that Anderson would be good to William, returned to his work.

“I write it on the computer and we print it out as soon as we are finished.” To prove it he printed the next finished report for William to see. The printer was right next to him so he didn’t have to move William who looked with big eyes at the papers coming out of the printer.

“It looks like someone pulled out their tongue.” William giggled with his adorable child giggle. “Can I write something too? I want the printer to make it come out on paper.” Anderson smiled at the child version of Sherlock; he understood that this cute little creature was not the proud confident man that they all worked with, at least not right now. He had seen and heard William ask for permission to talk to him. Since he was nearly done anyway, he opened a new document for William.

“You can write down in this document whatever you want to write.” Anderson pulled the laptop closer so that William could reach for the keys on it. He didn’t think that the boy would write actual words, he was only three, but to his surprise William started to write down all the names of the people in the room. Slowly, looking for the right letters and without leaving any space between the words.

“Do you want to know how to make the spaces between the words and enter the next line?” William looked behind him and nodded at Anderson´s question. He showed the child the right keys and let him continue his work.

“You are missing John´s last name.” He pointed out as it looked like William was finished.

“I don´t need to write it. He is John, there is no other John.” Anderson didn’t tell William that John was a very common name.

“And why do you have Mycroft twice?” He knows one is Sherlock´s brother but he never heard about an uncle with that name.

“One is my big brother; he is ten and very smart. He could do all this boring paper work much faster than you all and the other one is Uncle Mycroft, he sometimes keeps Mr. Bee at his place. So Mr. Bee can protect his secrets that is Mr. Bee´s job. But I miss Mr. Bee when he is working.” William looked suddenly very sad.

“Who is Mr. Bee?” Before William could answer Anderson, Donavan interrupted.

“His stupid toy. Stop playing with him and do your job.” The reaction William showed was predictable.

“Mr. Bee is my friend and not a stupid toy. You are stupid.” William had stood up on Anderson´s lap to shout at her but as her angry look met him he started to cry and hide his face on Anderson´s chest, who took him in his arms without hesitation this time.

“Sally, stop that; he is only a child.” He was angry at her for being mean to Sherlock.

Lestrade and John also joined the fight. John took the crying William from Anderson and Lestrade threw Donavan out of the room.

“Don’t cry William, the mean person is gone now and Uncle Mycroft will be here soon to bring you Mr. Bee. Uncle Mycroft told me they are nearly done with their secret work."

“Mr. Bee is not stupid.” William cried in John´s arms.

“Of course not, he is you friend and that was very mean of Miss Donavan to say.” John kept the Miss to the name like William did when talking about her.

“She shouldn’t be mean, she let me touch her hair and helped me find Greg. Brad and David know her so why does she have to be mean?” Good question but no one in this room had an answer for him.

A knock on the door distracted them. Mycroft came inside and understood the situation in his Holmesiness way and immediately changed the whole topic to something that would cheer William up. “Look who is finished with his work!” Mycroft held up Mr. Bee and William took it. Cuddling with John and Mr. Bee for a few minutes made everything better. 

“Let´s get you dressed. We are finished with our work too.” William was placed on the table and John dressed him. He nearly started crying again as he had to put down Mr. Bee to get the jumper over his head but after making sure that William could always hold one of Mr. Bee´s hands they finished very quickly.

“I´m sorry but I have to leave again; I need to go back to a few meetings.” Mycroft said but after a look at William, he promised to visit in the next morning for breakfast.

William remembered the paper he had written. “John we need to print my paper work or it will be lost in the computer.” William pointed at the laptop.

“You should ask Philipp over there to print it for you.” Anderson was confused about John using his first name but understood that friends of William were on a first name base; Sally was still Miss Donavan.

“Philipp can you print out my paper work? I want to show it to Mrs. Hudson.”

“Of course.” He smiled at William and printed the document. He saw his name on the list too.

“Thank you. Let´s play again sometime soon.” John picked up William still holding onto Mr. Bee and his paper and they both waved their good bye to the Yarders that would stay behind to finish up for the court day tomorrow.


	3. Chinese

Sherlock sat on the sofa, already in his pajamas waiting for the delivery man. John had called their favorite Chinese restaurant for takeaway; it delivered exclusively to Sherlock. Mr. Cheng was still very thankful for his help in getting his son into the country. There had been something not totally correct in Mr. Cheng´s son's papers of and he would have been shipped back to China without his family and who knows what would have happened then.

John busied himself in the kitchen with washing the dishes. Sherlock would have helped but, after he had let the second plate slip and break on the floor, he was banned from the kitchen until dinner was ready. He didn’t do it on purpose, it just sort of happened.

Sherlock was bored and a bit hungry and the delivery of the food was taking too long. Without intention his eyes began to close, his head resting against the back of the sofa, and he was asleep before he knew what had happened.

* * *

William opened his eyes; he must have fallen asleep, because he couldn’t remember how he had ended up on the sofa. Looking down at his body he found he was wearing an adult's pajama top. He wouldn’t be able to walk around in this, so he pulled up the sleeves like John had shown him. He could hear John washing the dishes and William didn’t want to interrupt. He was a bit tired and really hungry.

It didn't take long and the doorbell rang. “Can you get it? It´s our dinner; the money is on the table.” John shouted out of the kitchen. William looked at the table and found the money. John had asked him to do something so he would try. John wouldn’t ask him to do something that he couldn’t manage.

William got up and opened the door by jumping up to the handle. He took the stairs slowly, most times John would carry him down but William could manage it by himself now, without too much trouble. To open the door downstairs he needed a bit help by standing on the chair Mrs. Hudson used sometimes to sit down when taking off her shoes before entering the flat. Especially on very rainy days when the mud was everywhere and William got to wear his beloved wellies.

He reaches for the handle and opened the door. There was a man, in some kind of kitchen uniform; he had seen that before on television, watching together with John and Uncle Mycroft. His skin color looked a bit like Jackie Chan's, the Asian martial arts guy. John had a DVD with a dragon on the cover but he wasn’t allowed to watch it, because it was an adult movie. “Hello, are you bringing our dinner?”

The man with the heavy bag at the door looked at the small child; he was used to Mr. Holmes or more often Dr. Watson answering the door, but he had never seen a child before. Both of them didn’t look like they had children. Maybe it was one of the landlady's grandsons, he thought. “Yes that’s me. Delivery for Mr. Holmes and Dr. Watson.”

The child looked at him as if he had never heard the names before, at least the second one. “Why do you call me Mr. Holmes? My name is William; only adults are called by their family names.” Maybe this was one of Mr. Holmes' relatives after all. Mr. Cheng was really confused now.

“Is Dr. Watson here? Can he take the delivery?” He wasn’t sure if giving a small child food would be a good idea.

“Do you mean John? He is a doctor.” Mr. Cheng nodded. “He is upstairs washing the dishes, he told me to get the food. He said the money is on the table.” William held out his hand with the money he had been holding onto the whole time. “I can do this without John.”

Not wanting to question other people's parenting style, he took the money and gave the bag containing the food to the little boy. “You are big enough, that´s right, and you do a very good job. Now be careful not to spill the food. Have a nice evening, William.” He waved his goodbye and left the boy, but he waited for the door to close properly. He didn't want anyone breaking in and causing Mr. Holmes problems.

* * *

William looked at the bag and then up the stairs. It would be difficult but he would manage. It took him a long time to reach the top. He had to lift the bag, step by step and follow in the same speed. Lifting first the bag to the next step and then following. Proud to have reached the top all by himself he carried the bag with food into the kitchen. “Look John our dinner came. The delivery man was nice and he looked a bit like the Asian fighter guy on the movie that I´m not allowed to watch.”

“Thank you, William.” John dried his hand on a tea towel, took the bag from William and turned around to set the food on plates. “William?”

“Yes John.” William was standing there in Sherlock´s pajama top and looked at him.

“Did you just get the food all by yourself?” A nod from William. “How long have you been…” John thought ‘here’ was the wrong word. But it couldn’t have been more than ten minutes since he had thrown Sherlock out of the kitchen. He thought of all the things that could have happened to William by opening the door alone.

“I just woke up and then you told me to get the food and I did. Did I do something wrong?” William looked nervous.

“No you did everything perfectly. Thank you for getting our dinner, you are big help; let’s eat before it gets cold.” John lifted William up to the chair but before he could settle him on the chair something shifted in William´s eyes. It’s like he was falling asleep there and then and John could see the sleepy eyes. Recognizing the first signs of him turning back into Sherlock he placed the boy back on the floor, right in time to see him grow.

John still had his hands on Sherlock as he opened his eyes and looked right into John´s. It took him only a second to understand what happened. “I think I will get dressed again before we have dinner.”

John let go of Sherlock and didn’t look down; he  just ignored the half-naked man until he came back wearing his pajama pants again. At last they could have their dinner on the last two plates they owned.


	4. Prisoned

It could have been such a wonderful day. Relaxing on the sofa or his armchair, with the paper and a good book but Sherlock needed him for a case. If it had been a real case or better one where he could do something but he felt he was more like a walking skull again. He understood that Sherlock didn't have many people he feels relaxed with but John was more than a skull he could throw his thoughts at. The worst thing was that they had somehow gotten lost on their way back from the crime scene, and were now in the middle of a storm somewhere on the country side and they still hadn’t found their way back.

“I´m sorry, okay? John, could you stop running away and talk to me again?” But John ignored him. He wasn’t sure what he would say and was sure it wouldn’t be nice. “It isn’t my fault that guy threw us out! Who could know that he was so pissed about the things I pointed out? If he didn't like me saying it,  he shouldn’t wear that brand of socks.” Just ignore him. “John, we will be back on the road in less than twenty minutes. Was I ever wrong?”

“Wrong… wrong. Yes Sherlock you were wrong before.“ John had stopped in his steps as had Sherlock only a few paces behind him. It was dark already even if it was only afternoon but the black clouds locked out all the light. “Sherlock do you really thing that was the right thing to do on a case in the countryside? You shouldn't have accused our driver of being a crossdresser and taking bets on illegal poker games. It´s just something you don’t say. And don’t let me even get started about the case! Was it really necessary to make everyone hate us?” John didn’t have time to continue with his shouting because Sherlock suddenly jumped at him and both of them fell into the darkness.

* * *

John woke up because something currently laying on his chest was moving. It was dark, he couldn’t see a thing, but there was no rain. He felt cold and also as if he had been unconscious for a while. Slowly he lifted his hand to touch the thing that was on his chest, trying to remember where he was, where Sherlock was and what had happened to the point where they weren’t in the storm anymore.

The last thing that come to his mind was the argument… okay him shouting at Sherlock and Sherlock running to him.  John´s hand reached a body, a warm body of a living thing but it wasn’t Sherlock, it was far too small and light for him. Fearing that it only could mean one thing, his hand travelled up to the head. A mop of thick curls greeted him.

“…John?” William´s voice sounded sleepy as if he was waking up in the morning.

“Hey, William. Are you alright? When you open your eyes, don’t be afraid, it will be a bit dark but you will feel my breathing under you. I am here with you. You are not alone. I will make light in a second.” John needed to calm William down before he started to fear the dark or cry or didn't feel safe in the first place.

“John why is it dark?” William´s little hand crawled fisting his shirt. “And why is your shirt all wet? Have you been swimming? I don’t like water. It´s deep and you get sick when you walk around in the rain and it´s cold in the winter.” William didn’t sound frightened but that was the only good thing. John found his phone and got the flash light to work. He placed the phone next to him to have both hands on William. The child still had most of Sherlock´s upper body clothes on him but they were also wet. He needed to get William to a dry and warm place because William was right. Being outside in the rain made you sick.

John looked around and found himself in some kind of cave. He hadn’t seen it before during his fight with Sherlock, in the storm. As Sherlock had run to him he must have pushed him into it and the lack of an entrance to the cave told him that the alternative would have to be buried under rocks and mud.

He needed to think and keep calm. He was locked inside a cave with very little light, no food or water and a three year old without warm and dry clothes. John the soldier was working on a plan, the little fight he had with Sherlock a minute ago was forgotten. “William, first we are going to take off all the wet clothes and find ones dry enough to wear, alright.”

“Yes John, I think the coat is very wet.” The child was right, Sherlock´s coat was soaked with water and very heavy, he freed William from it and placed it next to him. The clothes underneath it were not completely dry either but better than nothing. John put his own jacket to Sherlock´s coat and threw his jumper on the pile.

“We should stay together.” John tried to find a comfortable position and sat with his back against the wall. “William we need to keep warm okay.” John placed William on his chest to share his body heat; they wouldn’t freeze to death but he really hoped that Mycroft found them soon.

"John, I don't like it here. Can we go home now?" William volunteered after John had finally gotten him covered as good as possible cuddling against his chest.

"I don't like it ether but we have to wait for Uncle Mycroft to come and get us out. He will be here soon." He needed something to distract William from this place. "William we will use our imagination now. Let’s pretend we are at home in our warm bed with a blanket over our head and we try to sleep. What do you like to do when you can’t sleep?" John stroked his hand over Williams's back to keep him warm.

"I would like to listen to a song. A song you would sing." That came as a surprise.

"Any special song or just the first thing that comes to my mind?"

William thought about it. "Something for the night, a good night song."

The only song that came to John’s mind was...

 

_"Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are?_

_Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky._

_Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are."_

 

John looked down at William in the slowly dying light from his phone.

"... again." William mumbled, tired as he was. Relaxed against John. So John began again and continued to sing the song until he had fallen asleep too.

* * *

The sound of moving rocks and stones woke them both. William was at first a bit afraid about the loud noises but after John explained to him that it was Uncle Mycroft who had come to save them, he waited patiently for the workers to free them.


	5. Waking up, alone

William woke up and was alone in a dark room. It wasn’t a scary room or a cold room. He was on a bed, but not his bed, it was soft and cozy and the bedsheet felt good on his skin. They felt nicer than John´s sheets; they were itchy sometimes but he never said anything, because if John thought he didn't like his bed he would tell him to sleep in his own bed and William didn't want to sleep alone. He wanted to stay with John.

“John?” Small and unsure what had led to him being alone in a bed that wasn’t John´s in a room that wasn’t John´s either, William only whispered. Who knew what kind of monster lived in this room; he didn't want to wake it by being too loud.

After making sure he was really alone, without monster, bad people or strange things that didn't belong into a bedroom, William climbed out of the bed. He was only wearing a shirt that was far too big on him and one large adult sock. He took the sock off but kept the shirt on. John had told him that walking around naked wasn’t good; so the shirt stayed.

William turned around and pulled the blanket back to make sure Mr. Bee wasn’t hiding somewhere. But the bed was empty except for a few clothes belonging to an adult. The adult must have hidden the clothes to make the room look tidy for his or her mother. William giggled.

He wasn’t as afraid as he should be. John had told him that there was no need for fear without proof that it was necessary. So first he had to collect data in order to decide if this room was safe or not and after that he could go and find the right place to be in.

Looking around in the barley lit room, the only light coming  from a street light outside the window, William found a small lamp on the side table next to the bed. After turning on the light, William recognized the room. It was Sherlock´s room, John´s flatmate. Why was he in this room? Remembering something, William opened the wardrobe and found a box; he opened it and found Mr. Bee.

“You are really here, Mr. Bee, exactly like John said!” John had told him that if he found himself without Mr. Bee and without knowing where he was, he should look in the box in Sherlock´s wardrobe, the safest place in the flat. This meant safe from Sherlock´s experiments.

John was right like always: Mr. Bee had slept in the box on a blanket, waiting for William to find him. “Good morning Mr. Bee… or is it still night?” William wasn’t sure but together with his friend he could walk out of the room to find John. This was the next step in John´s emergency list in case William was alone.

  1. Find out where you are.
  2. Find Mr. Bee.
  3. Find John.



If William was nowhere near the flat step two needed to be skipped. If William was nowhere he knew and couldn't find John, he had to look for Greg or Uncle Mycroft. If he couldn't do this alone, he had to find someone who could help him. John had made him memorize all important phone numbers and William would never forget them. Each number with the corresponding name and address.

Smiling that he still remembered the right way to deal with situations like that, William entered the dark hall way. It was still night-time and without hesitation he climbed up the stairs to John´s room.

The door wasn’t closed, probably so that William could open it without difficulty. John was sleeping in his bed and William climbed up and snuggled under the blanket. It was warm and cozy and smelled like John and home.

“…Sherlock?” John´s sleepy voice called out.

“No John, William. I must have fallen asleep in his room. I think he is gone somewhere else. I hope he isn’t cross with me for taking his bed.” John opened one eye to look at William who came closer with his stuffed bee in his hand.

“…he is not. You did good to come up and find me.” John was proud of William because the child hadn’t cried, not even for a second. John could see that. “We should sleep. Good night William, good night Mr. Bee.” He gave both a kiss on the forehead and lay back on his pillow.

“Good night John.” William kissed the already sleeping John on his forehead too. John must be very tired. Cuddling closer, William felt safe and fell asleep after only a few seconds.


	6. Little Hero

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last one of Side Effect for now ...

John woke up to the drumming in his head. A heavy pain was growing from the back of his head and was eating at all his thoughts. He must have made some noise because his wakening was noticed. "John are you alright? I have been trying to wake you up for an hour." Of course it was Sherlock, who else could have lead them into this kind of situation? Probably kidnapped by one of Sherlock’s countless enemies.

If he weren't hurting so much, he would roll his eyes and make a sarcastic comment about the whole thing. It wasn’t his first and wouldn't be his last. "Yes, I’m fine. Where are we?" John wasn’t sure he wanted to know but Sherlock would talk and he could relax a bit.

"We were outside of London, headed west when they took us. Some urban part. The guys were sloppy. They thought they had knocked me out too." Sherlock sounded far too smack for John's liking.

"Yes, great. You are a genius. How do we get out?"

Sherlock got a bit quiet before he continued. "We only need to get out of the cuffs. But I can’t reach my tools and they are too tight for the old thumb breaking trick."

John sighed and thought about what he had in his pockets and tried to reach in one of his pockets. But his hands where cuffed too tightly too. "Okay any other plan?"

John heard the sound of metal from behind. "Only the good old -"

Sherlock stopped mid-sentence. "What’s wrong Sherlock?" When no answer came, John was worried.

"... John?" That was not Sherlock’s voice. 'Oh no', was the only thing that came to his mind. He was kidnapped and had a three year old with him.

"William. Everything is alright...let’s play a game okay?" He waited for William to answer.

"Okay, John but can we play outside of this room. It’s a bit too dark." William sounded okay, not scared.

"That’s a good idea. We will play how to get outside. First thing though: are your hands free?"

Yes, John. I .only need to remove the jacket." A piece of fabric landed on the floor, probably Sherlock’s suit jacket. It was followed by William jumping down from the chair and walking over to John.

"Well done, William. Now  can you find a small black bag with little tools inside? It should be in the jacket by the other chair." William nodded and walked to his chair again. He searched the pockets and found it.

“Found it.” Proud that he had helped John he handed the bag to John. “John, why are your hands in the cuffs. Mrs. Hudson took them from me when I wanted to play with them. Did you play with them without asking her?” When did that happen? John asked himself.

“No I didn’t take them, these aren’t Sherlock´s cuffs. Some bad man took us and put them on us so that we could not get away.” While talking with William John´s hand where moving behind his back, he trying to open the cuffs. He wasn’t as good as Sherlock but his friend had shown him a few tricks. Unfortunately his hands were cuffed too tightly.

“John you are doing it wrong.” Surprised by the child´s words he looked up. “That’s the wrong angle, I know how to do that, Mycroft taught me. We practiced hours on our room door and other locks we found in the house. He said that it was important for me to know how to free myself. Because no one had the right to lock me up.”

John wasn’t sure he wanted to know the reason for Mycroft´s words but decided that it could wait until he had gotten William to safety. The lock makes a sound and jumps open. “Thank you, William.” Rubbing his arms to get the blood floating again he stood up and looked around in the room they were in. It looked like a normal house, nothing special about it. “Okay, William, you have to be brave now. Because we will have to find our way out of this house and to a safe place. We need to call Uncle Mycroft or Greg so that they can come to pick us up.”

“Are these really bad people who will hurt us?” Worried William getting closer to John and holding his trousers over the knee.

“Yes these people are not nice, so we have to be quiet and fast. Can you do that?” William nodded. “Good. Come here, I have to carry you. You don’t have your shoes.” John picked William up and looked back into the room. He was glad William could pick locks, without this ability they would have been stuck here. There was nothing they needed left in the room so they left everything behind and walked out.

Secure in his arms and very quiet was William looking over John´s shoulder. He was in charge of John´s back. He had the task of whispering in John´s ears when someone was coming from behind.

It sounded as if no one was awake and by looking out of the window John found a barley lit night sky, like in the hour before twilight. A few other houses were across the street, all looking the same and all with dark windows. William tapped him on his shoulder. “John there is someone moving in the room next to us.”

Without waiting any longer John made his way to the staircase. They needed to get out. The stairs made cracking noises and every time another sound escaped the wood he would freeze and wait for new sounds from the house. But whoever slept in this house or had kidnapped them was quiet and probably sleeping.

On the ground floor they found a phone, the landline was working. Something rare in the modern days of mobile phones. “William do you remember Uncle Mycroft´s special number?” John was never good with phone numbers but William loved to memorize them. Without hesitation William pressed the buttons for Mycroft’s private phone; he then reached out his hand to give the phone to John.

Mycroft answered before the first tone was done. “Sherlock?” His voice was loaded and stressed.

“No. John, but William is with me; try to locate the phone, it's a landline - shouldn’t be too hard. We are somewhere outside of London; I think Sherlock said somewhere in the west. We will try to leave the house.” All the information he had about the kidnappers was that, they had kidnapped them.

“I will come right away. Hide somewhere with William or go out and find a safe place. I´m on my way.” The phone call was not ended, John laid it next to its station so that the connection stayed and Mycroft could locate where the call was coming from. William was pulling on his shirt.

Looking over his back he saw someone walking over to them. Or better to the kitchen. John pulled William closer and hid behind the small table the phone it was on. The man, around John´s age, was dead on his feet; he must have stood up still half sleeping. William and John watched him enter the kitchen and open the fridge. The man was blinded by the light from the fridge but he found the milk, drunk out of the bottle and left it there on the worktop. Without looking back into the dark living room, the man continued to sleepwalk back to his room.

“That was close, John.” William smiled his innocent child smile at him without understanding the real danger they were in. For him it was just a game.

“Thanks for telling me, William, you are a really big help in breaking out of a kidnapper's house. John got up again and walked to the door. The chain was on and as quietly as he could he took it off. The key was in the lock and without further waiting, he turned the key and opened the door.

William and John checked the area around the house and found nothing suspicious. Walking slowly out John found the perfect hiding place right across the street. Behind the kidnapper´s neighbor's house there was a huge tree in the back yard and there was a tree top with a treehouse, looking solid and big and safe. John ran over the street and climbed over the fence. They made their way to the back yard and John pushed William up the ladder, closely following him.

Up in the treehouse they could see the kidnapper's house perfectly. It was the same as all the others in a long line of similar looking houses. “William we will wait up here for Uncle Mycroft; he is already on his way.”

William was looking out of the window of the treehouse. “John is it okay to be a bit afraid now?”

“Yes, William you did really well. You brought us out of there, you were brave and I´m very proud of you.” John opened his arms and let William crawl into his arms to get his much needed cuddle.

“I like it better out here; the house was scary. I don’t like bad people. I like you.” John gave the child in his arms a kiss on the messy mop of curls and pulled him closer.

“I really like you too and I also prefer to be here outside of that scary house and get a cuddle with my favorite little boy.” William giggled and tightened the fist that was holding on to John´s shirt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... but not of William ^^


End file.
